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Chapter 7

Janine was taken aback. She couldn't believe what she had just heard from Crema, or rather, the typically naive Crema. She couldn't accept that Crema was finally standing up to her in such a dignified manner.

To Janine, who knew Crema well, this was a new side of her cousin. She hadn't expected Crema to be so assertive. In the past, even at home, Janine could dominate Crema, even in front of her own parents. Janine was so confident in her actions, she had forgotten that she was merely the niece of Crema's mother, a mere guest in their home. With every action, she behaved as if she were the true daughter of the family.

"Now get ready. Remember, you're my assistant, and part of your job is to cater to my needs. We're going shopping for my outfit for tonight's meeting." With that, Crema raised an eyebrow and gestured for Janine to follow her.

Admittedly, she was nervous about standing up to her cousin, but she knew she had to muster the courage if she wanted to win this time. She couldn't let Janine take everything away from her. That is never happening again before her eyes. The days of Janine's dominance were over. It was time to show her where she truly belonged. If she had forced her way into the mansion, then she had to face the consequences that came with it. She applied to be an assistant, then she would work as an assistant, and that was it!

Janine grumbled as she followed Crema, unprepared for this new side of her cousin.

On their way to the shopping mall, the car was filled with silence. Janine pretended to be engrossed in her phone, plotting a new scheme against Crema. Meanwhile, Crema was genuinely busy on her phone, searching for an outfit suitable for the upcoming meeting. As the wife of one of the most powerful alphas, she needed to look the part. Being part of the royal family meant she had to be cautious about her attire, including her accessories.

Upon arriving at the shopping mall, Crema turned to Janine and commanded, "Carry my purse."

"What?!" Janine exclaimed. She wasn't about to stoop to that level. Never!

"Do you have a problem?" Crema asked nonchalantly, although she had anticipated her cousin's reaction. "If you have an issue with carrying my purse, you can resign. I can have my father-in-law hire a new assistant for me. Besides, this isn't really your thing. " Even I couldn't believe that you even volunteered to be my assistant when you know the scope of your job."

"I'm not complaining. Where did you get the idea that I would resign just because of carrying your purse? Give me that." As abrasive as ever, Janine snatched the purse from Crema's grasp and exited the vehicle immediately. She quickly grasped what Crema was trying to do, make her job difficult enough to make her quit. But Janine wouldn't let that happen.

"I'm glad we understand each other, but next time don't be so rude, especially in public. Do you want my husband or the king to hear about your rudeness towards me?" Crema added, although she had doubts about the nature of the relationship between Alpha King and Janine.

Annoyed, Janine shuddered but held her tongue and followed Crema. She had to persevere if she wanted her plan to succeed, especially after hearing the king's apparent approval of her. Although King Dior hadn't explicitly said she could take Giovan from Crema, that was how Janine interpreted his words from the previous night.

They spent about three hours at the mall until Crema had all her jewelry. After that, they went to a restaurant. Janine had hoped that they would eat together, but that didn't happen. Crema didn't offer her any food and instead let her watch as she ate.

Unable to contain her anger, Janine blurted out, "Really, Crema? You're going to leave me here with an empty stomach? As far as I know, a boss is supposed to feed her staff!"

Crema smirked at her words. "Staff? So, you admit that you're a staff member?"

"Whatever!" Janine retorted, annoyed, as she grabbed a slice of pizza from the table. She took a bite, her hunger getting the better of her.

Seeing this, Crema's resolve to be strict softened, and she allowed Janine to share the meal with her. She hoped that her firmness earlier would remind Janine to treat her with more respect in the future.


Crema’s POV

I'm doing my best to show my cousin who I am and what I'm capable of in order to protect what's mine. I just hope she gets the message and either becomes more respectful or abandons whatever scheme she has against me.

After the busy day, we returned home as I had to get ready for the Royals' meeting. I had no idea what the meeting would entail, but I hoped that I would be able to adapt to it or at least contribute some suggestions for the betterment of the pack.

"Am I going to help you get ready? I mean, do your makeup?" Janine asked, following me towards my and my husband's bedroom. I couldn't help but feel that she wasn't genuinely offering to help, but rather trying to sneak a peek at what my bedroom looked like.

"I'm good. I can do my own makeup. I think you should get ready because if I remember correctly, you're attending the meeting with me. Prepare all your necessary things because you'll be taking notes on all the meeting details. Remember the assistant thing?"

Janine's eyes widened. Clearly, she was taken aback by my treatment of her. This wasn't the Crema she had known for so long. I was obviously being harsh with her. Yes, that was my defense mechanism to keep her at bay. Because if I didn't, I might be ousted from this mansion at any moment.

I locked the door as soon as I entered and began to get ready.

I undressed to try on my outfit again. I first examined my body in the mirror, turning around, feeling a pang of sadness when I thought about how Giovan treated me during our intimate moments. But before I could turn back to face the large mirror, a voice suddenly echoed from the shower room door.

"You look good."

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